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Vigil remembers missing woman

Debora Gail Deloach Moody

They came together Thursday night at the Trinity Baptist Church in Hinesville to keep the hope and memory alive of Debora Gail Deloach Moody, who disappeared a year ago from her home in Long County.An estimated 125 friends and family members attended the 30-minute candlelight vigil.“We want to keep the hope alive that Gail will be returned to her family, and also keep her name out in the public in the event someone who may know something will call authorities with information,” said Tim Parrish, pastor of Trinity Baptist.The vigil-goers sang songs and listened to a poem written by Moody’s 24-year-old son, Christian Merrill, who could not attend because of school exams.“Your smile, your tender motherly eyes pierce my soul,” read the poem. “Waiting, wishing only another day with your arms wrapped around my neck. …”Moody’s mother, Melanie Clark, traveled from Niceville, Fla., to attend.“It meant a lot to me that her family and friends came out to pray for her return,” Clark said.Moody has been missing since last Dec. 4. She was last seen that afternoon, when she went to buy a dog pen at Anderson Feed and Seed in Walthourville. The owner, Lynn Anderson, went with Moody to her mobile home to help unload the pen. Anderson was the last person to see Moody. GBI Special Agent Mike McDaniel, who is assigned to the case, said Moody lived in an area surrounded by onion fields and was isolated. He said that Moody was on her computer untill 6:30 that evening.“We just don’t know what happened,” McDaniel said. “She left her purse, and even had a paycheck coming to her the next day.”Clark said she has not given up hope that her daughter will be returned.“I know somebody took her, and there is somebody out there who could provide information,” she said. “Over the past year, I have wracked my brains out trying to think of any person who came into her life that may have wanted to hurt her. I just can’t think of anyone.” Clark said her daughter would never walk away from her family without letting someone know she is OK. That sentiment is shared by McDaniel, who is based in Kingsland.He hopes renewed interest in the case will lead to clues.“By no means has this case grown cold,” he said. “We started investigating it as a homicide in the beginning, with the hope that it would end well. But we review it every two months, and when a lead comes up, we investigate it.” McDaniel came to the vigil with fliers about Moody to hand out to her family. There were posted around the community.“We are doing everything possible to bring peace to the family.” he said.Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Detective Ty Smith of the Long County Sheriff’s Department at 545-2118, or call the GBI at 729-6198.An undisclosed reward is being offered.